BSU to offer June online course in business grammar

May 19, 2009

BEMIDJI, Minn. — The Center for Research and Innovation at Bemidji State University will be offering an online course in June covering the basics of business grammar. The course will concepts such as sentence construction, punctuation, subject and verb agreement and common writing errors and is based on the idea that writing is 15 percent knowledge and 85 percent confidence.

The course, which grants two continuing education credits, begins June 1 and runs through June 28. Registration is $200.

Rick Demers, a training specialist at Leech Lake Gaming in Cass Lake, Minn., will be teaching the course.

“Faulty punctuation associated with sentence construction is a very common problem in business,” Demers said. “Subjects and verbs can be tricky, especially when a phrase separates the verb from the subject. And using proper possessives can be easy once the basic rules are understood.

“Correct grammar equates to professionalism, so it is hard to look good while sending out poorly written materials.”

Demers received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling psychology from the University of North Dakota. In addition to writing personnel documents, his training encompasses management and leadership topics and as well stress management and conflict resolution issues.

Leech Lake Gaming is the business entity of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe casino properties and employees approximately 1,200 people at Northern Lights Casino Hotel and Events Center in Walker, the Palace Casino and Hotel in Cass Lake and the White Oak Casino in Deer River.

For more information, contact the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at (218) 755-4900; toll free, (888) 738-3224; e-mail, cri@bemidjistate.edu; or at http://www.cri-bsu.org.